Now, anti-tax crusader Douglas Bruce is still battling efforts to make him testify about his involvement with Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101 – three tax-slashing initiatives on the November ballot.

Opponents of the measures want to know who paid for the printing of petitions and the gathering of signatures to put the initiatives on the ballot and why no campaign finance disclosure forms were filed to document contributions and expenditures.

Though a district judge last week denied Bruce’s attempts to avoid sitting for a deposition about his connections to the ballot measures, a deposition still hasn’t been scheduled.

Anti-tax crusader Douglas Bruce won another round in court today, getting his contempt-of-court case continued for a second time.

Denver District Judge Brian Whitney granted the continuance after Bruce’s lawyer, high-profile defense attorney David Lane, did not attend the hearing this morning. Bruce was first set to appear before Whitney on the contempt citation on July 26, and the judge agreed to move the hearing to Aug. 18th.

The case stems from Bruce’s failure to testify in a campaign case involving three tax-slashing initiatives on the November ballot. Opponents of the ballot measures want to question Bruce about his role in the initiatives and how they ended up on the ballot even though an issue committee was never legally formed to report contributions and expenditures to pay for signature gathering.

When Bruce later retained Lane, the lawyer said he would be in Guantanamo Bay representing detainees on Aug. 18 and requested the hearing be moved again, which led Whitney to move it to today. But Lane, in court papers, said he would be involved in a death penalty case in Douglas County today that could not be moved and asked that the Bruce hearing be on some other day.

Whitney didn’t move it, and Bruce showed up in court today with no lawyer. The mood was testy between the two.

Bruce complained that holding the hearing without his lawyer being present was unfair to him and violated court rules. He called the proceedings a “show trial’ and “political publicity stunt.”

Anti-tax activist Douglas Bruce is not likely to face jail time if he’s found guilty of contempt of court, a Denver judge said today during a hearing that grew testy several times.

Responding to questions from Bruce, District Judge Brian Whitney said that — for the time being — he was not contemplating jail time for the former Republican lawmaker, who was in court to explain why he should not be held in contempt in a case involving campaign finance violations.

The question of jail time could change depending on the facts, Whitney said, and Bruce still could face fines if found in contempt of court.

In any case, Bruce, who represented himself in court, clearly was trying the judge’s patience throughout the hearing.

After Bruce failed to appear before an administrative law judge, Denver District Judge Brian Whitney cited Bruce, who served one session as a Republican lawmaker, for contempt of court. Bruce had said he was out of town for at least part of the time the state was trying to serve him, but Whitney ruled there was enough evidence to show Bruce had been made aware of efforts to compel his testimony.

Bruce, who has called the proceedings against him a “lynching,” now must appear before Whitney on July 26 on the contempt citation.

Lynn Bartels thinks politics is like sports but without the big salaries and protective cups. The Washington Post's "The Fix" blog has named her one of Colorado's best political reporters and tweeters.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.